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Menu Plan for Spring II: Week 11, Day 1
Grilled Tuna with Lemon and Herbs
Couscous Feta Pilaf
Asparagus with Garlic Chips
Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
Get the best grade of tuna you can for this. And share the garlic chips with a friend....
Grilled Tuna with Lemon
Total time: 30 minutes
If you get sushi-grade tuna you will definitely want to have this rare (it has to be graded to a higher standard so it is okay to eat raw). Regular tuna we normally have medium. Well done tends to make it rather dry. This is a simple preparation, finished with a bit of sea salt.
Ingredients:
- 2 tuna steaks, 6oz each (180gr each)
- Marinade:
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) white wine
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs fresh tarragon, snipped substitute 1 tsp dried
- sea salt
Instructions:
- Put tuna in a dish with deep sides.
- Mix all ingredients for marinade, pour over fish and let marinate for 10 - 20 minutes, no longer.
- Remove from marinade and cook on barbecue grill for 4 - 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness) for regular tuna, 2 - 3 minutes for ahi. - or until done to your liking.
- Remove and serve.
- Can also be cooked under broiler or sautéed in nonstick pan for roughly the same amount of time.
Note: A grill basket, skillet or mat makes working with fish easier.
Couscous Feta Pilaf
Total time: 15 minutes
The best thing about couscous (besides the taste) is that it requires no cooking - just hot stock. Then add anything that suits your fancy!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) couscous
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) chicken broth
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 6 olives, any type
- 1oz (30gr) feta
- 1 tbs snipped chives
- 1 tbs snipped basil
- 2 tsp good olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat chicken broth to a boil.
- Put couscous in a medium bowl.
- When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it.
- Snip herbs.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Pit olives if needed, then cut in half.
- Crumble feta.
- When couscous is ready, uncover, add remaining ingredients, including olive oil, fluff gently with a fork to combine and serve.
Note: The easiest way to pit olives is to lay them on a cutting board or counter, put the blade of a large knife flat on top and whack the flat blade with the heel of your palm. The olive will split, and you can remove the pit.
This is also the easiest way to peel garlic.
Baked Asparagus with Garlic Chips
Total time: 25 minutes
We eat a lot of garlic. If you don't want the extra garlic just drizzle some melted butter, a
sprinkle of thyme and a little lemon juice over the cooked asparagus.
Ingredients:
- 10oz (300gr) fresh asparagus - more if you truly love it
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
Instructions:
- Snap off ends of asparagus. If white use vegetable peeler and peel bottom half of stalk.
- Put a drizzle of oil on a baking sheet - one with a lip all around. I use a pizza pan. Roll the asparagus in oil (use your fingers!).
- Sprinkle with a little salt (sea salt is nice) and put in 400F (200C) oven, tips facing the oven door.
- Check after 12 minutes, cooking times depend on thickness. When done, put on a serving dish, drizzle with garlic oil and sprinkle with garlic chips.
- For garlic chips:
- Slice garlic as thinly as you can.
- Put olive oil in a small frying pan and, over medium heat, fry garlic chips until brown and very crisp, about 10 minutes. Mind them so they don't burn.
- Remove chips and drain on paper towels. Keep oil warm until needed.
Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes |
Trim asparagus, roll in oil on baking sheet, bake |
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